Electric water heater



March 27, 1934. w so 1,952.10?

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER Filed Sept. 10, 1932 INVE TOR GILSSE. 115011.

MTTORNEY i i Patented Mar. 27, 1934 6 Claims.

This invention relates to electric water heaters and particularly to heaters for continuously raising the temperature of water as it discharges from a faucet or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a water heater comprising a casing formed with a circuitous passage having'a water inlet and outlet, to extend an electric heating element within said passage for progressively raising the temperature of water flowing through said passage, and to adapt said casing to be quickly attached to and detached from a water faucet, employing a common means for establishing a sealed communication between the faucet and said water inlet and for resiliently and yieldably attaching the heater to the faucet.

Another object is to equip an electric witer heater with a switch automatically controlling the circuit of the heating element by making or breaking said circuit according as a flow of water through the heater is established or discontinued.

A further object is to position said automatic switch in a chamber which is sealed against access of water thereto by a flexible diaphragm, which undergoes a distention under pressure of any water flowing through the-heater, and to utilize such distention to effect a closing of said switch responsive to such flow.

These and various other objects the invention attains by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an axial vertical sectional view of the improved heater, showing the circuit-closing position of the automatic switch, said section being taken upon the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the heater, taken upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another cross-sectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an axial vertical section, taken upon the line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an approximately diagonal vertical section, taken upon the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the heating element of the heater.

In these views, the reference character 1 designates a substantially rectangular block, formed of porcelain or like insulating material, and having a passage 2 extended centrally from top to bottom thereof and somewhat reduced in diameter in its lowerportion, as indicated at 2a. A series of circumferentially spaced passages 3 of considerably smaller diameter than the passage 2, are also extended from top to bottom of the block 1, being similarly outwardly spaced from the passage 2.

The passage 2 is adapted. to receive water from an ordinary faucet 4 (see Fig. 1), and to maintain such faucet in sealed communication with said passage, and also provide for attaching the heater to the faucet, a centrally apertured rubber gasket 5 is clamped against the top of the block 1 by a porcelain plate 6, the apertured central portion of said gasket projecting into the passage 2, and being preformed to flare normally downward within said passage, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The central opening of said gasket is of a normal diameter less than that of an ordinary faucet, so that the latter when forced downwardly into the passage 2, expands the gasket opening, causing the gasket to tightly embrace the faucet, to hold the heater in place and to prevent upward escape of water from the passage 2.

Wateris adapted to discharge from the passage 2 through a radial outlet 7 to the lower end of one of the passages 3, and is thence adapted to flow successively through the remaining passages 3, passing from one to the other thereof through circumferential channels 7a, formed alternately in the top and bottom faces of the block 1. Having thus circuitously traversed all of the passages 3 the water flows finally through an arcuate passage 8 in the bottom face of the block 1 and into a passage 9 rising from said face, said passage discharging through a spout 10, laterally carried by the block 1, as best appears in Fig. 1.

Direct communication between any of the upper channels 7a is prevented by clamping a cork gasket 11 against the countersunk top face of the block 1, in a position to cover said channels, a porcelain disk 12 being preferably also countersunk in said block to hold the gasket 11 in place.

Direct communication between any of the channels 7a in the bottom of the block 1 is prevented by an annular cork gasket 13, which together with an underlying rubber gasket 14 is clamped against said block by a cup-shaped porcelain member 15, having its top portion fitted snugly within an annular marginal depending flange 16a on the block 1.

The electrical heating element of the heater is best shown in Fig. 6, and comprises a series of coiled resistance wires 16 each fitted in one of the passages 3, arcuate connections between said wires being established between the adjacent wires 16, alternately at the top and bottom thereof, as indicated at 1'7. The connections 17 extend within the channels 7a.

Within the cup-shaped member 15 is disposed a switch adapted to automatically open or close the circuit of the electric heating element, according as a water flow through the heater is cut off or established. This switch comprises a porcelain support 18, formed with an annular flange 19 clamped between the block 1 and member 15, said support being transversely formed with a slot 20 accommodating a spring arm 21 one end of which is rigidly anchored by a bolt 22 passing vertically through said support and connected at its top to one terminal of the heating element. The other end of said arm extends freely across the axis of the heater and supports a ball 23 formed of glass or other insulating material, disposed in a circular opening 24 centrally formed in the upper portion of the support 18. The top portion of said ball engages the central portion of the gasket 14, dishing the gasket upwardly. Mounted axially of the heater upon the lower portion of the support 18 and normally spaced below the free end of the spring arm 21 is aheaded binding post 25, to which is connected one of a pair of lead-in wires 26, entering the member 15 through an aperture 27 centrally formed in the bottom thereof, and supplying electric current from any suitable source to the heating element 16, 17. The other of said leadin wires is connected to a bolt 28, vertically and eccentrically mounted in the support 18 (see Fig. 5), and projecting above said support for electrical connection with the other terminal of the heating element.

The casing-forming members 1, 6, and 15 of the heater may be clamped firmly together by four bolts 29, vertically extended through the corner portions of said members.

Preferably a fine filter screen 30 is fitted in the lower portion of the passage 2, against the shoulder formed by the reduced portion 2a of said passage, said screen preventing any accumulation of dirt in the passages 3, 7a, 8, or 9.

In use of the described heater, the same is attached to a faucet by registering the passage 2 with said faucet and raising the heater to force the faucet outlet into the central opening of the gasket 5, as Fig. 1 clearly illustrates. The wires 26 having been connected to a suitable current source, the water is turned on filling the passage 2 and creating a sufiicient pressure in said passage to depress the central portion of the gasket 1 the ball 23, and the spring arm 21, engaging the latter with the head of the binding post 25. The heating element 16, 17 is now energized and remains energized so long as delivery of water to the passage 2 continues. As the water flows to the spout 10 through the circuitous path established by the passages 3, 7a, 8, and 9, it is progressively heated by the element 16, 17, and hence discharges at a predetermined raised temperature. As soon as the faucet is shut off, pres sure on the gasket 14 is relieved, and the spring arm 21 returns to its normal raised position in which the circuit is interrupted.

This feature of automatically closing and opening the circuit of the heating element according as the faucet is opened or closed is highly desirable, since the heating element will rapidly burn out, if energized in the absence of water. With out such automatic provision, therefore, it would devolve upon the user of the device to always remember to cut oil the current upon shutting off the flow of water, and destruction of the heating elements would be a frequent occurrence.

The described heater is of a simple and inexpensive construction, and is adapted to very quickly supply hot water, particularly in relatively small quantities.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. A portable electric water heater comprising a casing formed of insulating material and having a liquid passage with an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a heating element within said passage, means for establishing said heating ele ment inanelectric circuit, a normally open switch controlling said circuit, said casing being formed with a chamber receiving said switch and with an opening between said passage and chamber, and a flexible diaphragm obstructing said opening and preventing access of liquid to said chamber from said passage, and means actuable by said diaphragm to close said switch under pressure of liquid in said passage.

2. A portable electric water heater comprising a casing formed of insulating material and having a liquid passage with an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a heating element within said passage, means for establishing said heating element in an electric circuit, a normally open switch controlling said circuit, said casing being formed with a chamber receiving said switch and with an opening between said passage and chamber, and a member obstructing said opening and preventing access of water to said chamber from said passage, and movable under pressure of water in said passage and means responsive to such movement to close said switch.

'5'. A portable electric water heater comprising a casing formed of insulating material and having a liquid passage with an inlet thereto and an outlet therefrom, a heating element within said passage, means for establishing said heating element in an electric circuit, a normally open switch controlling said circuit, said casing having a chamber receiving said switch and an opening between said passage and chamber, a member obstructing said opening and preventing access of liquid to said chamber from said passage, and movable toward said chamber under pressure of liquid in said passage, and an element formed of insulating material fioatingly mounted between said movable member and the switch, actuable by said member upon movement thereof toward said chamber, to effect a closing of the switch.

4. A portable electric heater as set forth in claim 3, said fioatingly mounted element having the form of a ball.

5. An electric water heater comprising a casing of insulating material, formed with a circuitous passage having an upwardly open inlet portion proportioned to receive the outlet portion of a faucet and having a suitable outlet, a flexible member within said inlet portion for engaging an inserted faucet and establishing a liquid seal between said faucet and the casing, said passage being highly restricted, as compared to said inlet portion, at some point between said portion and the outlet of the passage, whereby the pressure of water admitted to said inlet portion is largely maintained therein, a heating element within said passage, means for establishing said element in an electric circuit, a normally open switch controlling said circuit, the casing being formed with a chamber receiving said switch and having an opening between the inlet portion and s phragm obstructing said access of water to said c close said switch under pres inlet portion.

6. An electric water member of insulating m cuitous water passage opening in the top and ing member, and having a connected portions openi tom faces, and highly r said inlet portion, a flex heater comprising a casing aterial, formed with a cirhaving an inlet portion bottom faces of said casplurality of serially in said top and bottricted as compared to ible diaphragm engaging aid chamber, and a flexible diaopening and preventing hamber from said inlet portion, and means actuable by said diaphragm to sure of water in said 

